Will the Rossoneri roll on to the quarter-finals?
The world’s greatest treasure was found by archaeologists off the coast of Colombia in 2015 when they excavated the sunken galleon San Jose more than 300 years ago. Gold, silver and precious stones as far as the eye can see and an almost unfathomable total value of 17 billion dollars. Every person on the planet would surely love to share in this find, but there is surely a crowd for whom one thing is even more important at the moment: AC Milan’s entry into the Champions League quarter-finals!
The former top flight winners are hungry for the big one after years of abstinence in the knockout stages after winning the first leg. An appearance in the last eight in Europe would be a direct boost to the Rossoneri’s otherwise mixed season. In the round of 16 between Tottenham and AC Milan, betting on the Rossoneri to advance would bring odds of around 1.50. This is an option worth considering, as the Rossoneri will win the first leg. This is an option worth considering, as Milan are hungry for a place in the quarter-finals.
The home side have stumbled badly in recent weeks and have lost touch with the top places in the domestic Premier League. They currently sit fourth in the table and maintaining that position is the last remaining national objective of the season, given the gap to the top. A surprise exit from the FA Cup on the first of March against Sheffield Wednesday means that the Champions League will be a very high priority for the Lilywhites.
After qualifying for the knockout round in a group with Eintracht Frankfurt, they are now aiming for the quarter-finals! For the Tottenham vs. AC Milan clash, a prediction on the home side is of course worth considering. They are still unbeaten at home in the Champions League this season.
With the first Scudetto in a decade, the team from Italy’s second largest city qualified for the Champions League this season. The current season has been an up and down one for the Rossoneri, who are now out of all national cup competitions and are too far ahead of league leaders Napoli to dream of the title.
The focus is on the top flight and after the 1:0 victory in the first leg, the starting position for AC in London is excellent. The three-time Champions League winners want to reach the last eight in England and certainly have what it takes in terms of quality. Kick-off for the red-hot Round of 16 second leg in London is at 9pm on Wednesday night at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Tottenham – Statistics & current form
Tottenham Hotspur have suffered two bitter defeats recently. Firstly, they lost 1-0 against Wolverhampton in the league, even though they had chances to score at least three goals. And on top of that, they were knocked out of the prestigious FA Cup against Sheffield Wednesday. This means that the Champions League theoretically remains the last chance of winning the title for the team from the north London borough of Haringey. So the pressure is at a maximum ahead of Tottenham vs AC Milan and the odds on a home win are quite lucrative. The boss in the side is likely to be missing again for the hosts. Antonio Conte is still suffering the effects of surgery.
The game is all about glory
The above phrase was once uttered by perhaps Tottenham’s greatest captain Danny Blanchflower, but on the home side the statement almost seems like a burden from the outside looking in. The Lilywhites’ last title came in 2008, in the English League Cup. In the Champions League, they made it to the final in 2019. However, the team around the then ailing Harry Kane lost 0:2 against Liverpool.
It is Kane in particular whom fans would like to see finally deliver an outstanding performance in very important games. The England international has celebrated goal records galore in his career, but he has so far failed to win any relevant titles. This is also because in the big games he performs well at most, but never outstandingly well, and carries his team to victory. Can he do that in Tottenham vs. AC Milan? A bet on a goal by Kane in front of the home crowd is definitely worth considering.
Spurs are brutally strong at home, unbeaten in the Champions League and having won nine of 13 home games in the league. In the knockout rounds of the CL, however, the picture looked different recently, against Ajax in the 18/19 season as well as against Leipzig in 19/20 they lost the home games in the hot phase. In the last two seasons, they were not represented in the round of the last 16 in the premier league.
At first glance, one wonders why. With Kane, Son, Richarlison and Höjbjerg, they have brutal quality on the pitch and under Conte, the team delivered some really strong performances. But especially since the re-start after the World Cup, the Premier League club has rather struggled with itself and lost almost every top match.
There was little sign of a turnaround on Wednesday, not least because the spirit at the club, founded in 1882, was no longer really palpable. Yet Hotspur translates as hotspur. Should the hosts be able to rekindle their fire with their own crowd behind them, anything is possible given their great quality.
Last games of Tottenham:
Premier League
04/03/2023 – Wolverhampton 1 – 0 Tottenham
FA Cup
02/03/2023 – Sheffield United 1 – 0 Tottenham
Premier League
26/02/2023 – Tottenham 2 – 0 Chelsea FC
19/02/2023 – Tottenham 2 – 0 West Ham
Champions League Final
15/02/2023 – AC Milan 1 – 0 Tottenham
AC Milan – Statistics & current form
Were the Milan players’ heads already in London on the final Serie A matchday? From the outside it looked like it as they lost 2-1 to AC Florence, who are rather weak at the moment. The first goal conceded against Fiorentina seemed like a wake-up call and after that the Rossoneri also briefly showed their brute quality. Before that, coach Pioli’s team had won four games in a row and everything is also in play for the three-time Champions League winners in London on Wednesday.
The hottest game of the year
Once in the Champions League group stage, three times out of the Europa League at the latest in the round of 16 and once not in it. This is the rather meagre record of the former European top club in the last five years at international level. Either way, they have already achieved more than they have for a decade. But after the 1:0, the young squad from the capital of Lombardy has tasted blood. The quarter-finals are within their grasp.
One should not be blinded by Milan’s weak performance against Florence. Even before the first leg, the Rossoneri were not really in a good mood. The potential that lies dormant in coach Pioli’s squad is huge. Theo Hernandez has been playing extremely well for weeks, and there are also the offensive whirlwinds Diaz, Leao and Tonali. On good days, the latter is more like a mixture of Gattuso and Pirlo.
And then there is the old warhorse Oliver Giroud. The French world champion has been directly involved in six goals in his six CL appearances this season. An absolute top rate! The other great legend in the Milan attack, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, is not registered for the top flight.
But even without Ibra, the reigning Italian champions have a chance of advancing. In the hot match between Tottenham and AC Milan, the odds for this are in the range of 1.50. If Milan remembers its strengths and plays freely, everything is possible for the visitors!
This is where you might suspect the small question mark behind AC: many players don’t yet have the experience in club football at this level. The second leg, with everything at stake, is a new maximum pressure situation for them as well. But the young guard around Tonali has already been steeled in the national jersey and also delivered in the first leg. It is not to be expected that the guests will freeze under the pressure. All in all, Milan are slight favourites for the clash in England in our view.
Last matches of AC Milan:
Series A
05/03/2023 – AC Florence 2 – 1 AC Milan
27/02/2023 – AC Milan 2 – 0 Atalanta Bergamo
18/02/2023 – Monza 0 – 1 AC Milan
Champions League Final
15/02/2023 – AC Milan 1 – 0 Tottenham
Series A
11/02/2023 – AC Milan 1 – 0 FC Torino
Tottenham – AC Milan Direct comparison / H2H balance
Up until the first leg, Spurs’ record against the Rossoneri was flawless. In six games, they won four times and drew twice. In the 2011 Champions League, among others, they beat the 19-time Italian champions in the last 16.
In Milan, however, there was a deserved 1-0 victory for AC in the first meeting through a goal by Brahim Diaz. For Tottenham vs. AC Milan, betting odds are close to 7.00 for another goal from the man from Spain, who once played for Real Madrid. At the moment, however, he is doubtful for the game due to a knee injury, but if the former Madrid man is absent, there are certainly other good options in the Milan attack.
Tottenham – AC Milan Tip
There is definitely one winner on Wednesday night: the football fans! The round of 16 duel is brutally exciting after the tight first leg and we expect an extremely close match. Tottenham have the home advantage on their side and also have clearly more experience at this high level. On the other hand, Milan won the first leg and all in all have looked fresher and hotter than Spurs in recent weeks.
The Rossoneri have an extremely strong team spirit and are desperate to reach the quarter-finals. It’s a razor-thin decision, but we’ll place our prediction on Tottenham vs AC Milan for the visitors from Italy to progress. The Rossoneri look as fresh as they did at the start of the season and simply bring tremendous quality to the table.
It will be a hot dance on Wednesday night in London at Tottenham vs. AC Milan. The odds, and thus the bookmakers, consider a progress of the visitors much more likely than a comeback of the home side. And there are good reasons for that: Milan look very solid on the international stage and are a threat to every team on a good day. The Lilywhites have stumbled recently and lacked self-confidence in the first leg.
We will go with Milan in our tip and invest in these five units. Bets can be placed, for example, at the very well-known provider Bet365.
